Underneath the green swathes of the pastoral landscape of Hertfordshire, sits the northern edge of Harlow Town. On the boundary between Essex and Hertfordshire, the Harlow North locale is a suburbanised townscape with roots in 20th century egalitarian design philosophies. With the Princess Alexandra hospital, Harlow Town Park, and the mixed-use dwellings and structures, this area is varied and complex. The housing market is abundant and diverse; ranging from units in contemporary apartment blocks for £200,000 to mid-century suburban detached properties at over £700,000!

Whilst Harlow Old Town to the east is an ancient locale with Medieval origins; the area of Harlow North is a thoroughly 20th century project. Directly situated by the Harlow Town rail station, this area was of major focus to the mid-century developers of Harlow Town. The town was developed after the landmark 1946 New Towns Act, which designated land for urban development predominantly in London’s satellite towns. This landmark act occurs as a confluence of three specific streams of English history: the horror of WWII, the housing crises of urban Victorian England, and the political project of Social Democracy helmed by the 1940s Labour cabinet. Planning, inspired by the late 19th century Ebenzer Howard’s garden city principles, was heralded as a design philosophy that could aid in the rampant social issues of mid century urban London. Harlow Town began construction in 1949, and was designed by master planner Sir Frederick Gibberd. By 1961, the population of Harlow was over 61,000! Harlow is categorised by its neighbourhoods that act as self-contained neighbourhoods within the wider fabric of Harlow.

Indeed, the project of Harlow was considered a political and philsophical project. In fact, Patricia Russell, wife and signatory of Nobel Laureate winning philosopher Bertrand Russell, was a key member on the Development Corporation board for Harlow from 1947 to 1950, and saw the project as putting their ideals into physical practice.

Owing to the unique design of Harlow Town from Sir Frederick Gibberd, which itself was inspired by the garden-city, development within the urban fabric of Harlow town is often restricted in its scope, as projects must adhere to and compliment the existing unique structure of the town. Within the Harlow Town Adopted Local Plan, the council has not identified the areas of Harlow North as potential sites for allocating new housing or development projects. Although, just to the north of Little Parndon in Harlow North, a huge development is occurring in the area of Gilston. The Gilston Park Estate is aiming to construct a grand total of 10,000 new homes in a self-contained community fashion, with 3,000 being delivered by 2033!